


Simple Day

by Oatsotas



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Kirumi Does Her Best, Minor Angst, except not really, help my poor girl, working through issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 17:29:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16877151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oatsotas/pseuds/Oatsotas
Summary: The day started out so simply. Running errands, getting chores done. So how did it end up with Kirumi walking alone down the street wonder if Kaede is still there?





	Simple Day

It's hot as hell, the laundromat has no air conditioning, and Kirumi is really regretting that her wardrobe almost entirely consists of black and white. She dabs at her forehead with an already damp tissue. Fortunately, this is her last load and the dryer has almost finished. All that's left is to fold and pack away the clothes (organized by color, texture, and size, of course) and then head to the music store. Oh, and wait for her girlfriend to show back up despite saying that she was only going to be gone for a few minutes.

A few other patrons mingle around the laundromat. One man fans himself with a magazine. Two women chat lightly, though their manicured hands are frantic as they speak. One woman looks half asleep as her kid zips back and forth the bench racing his cars against each other.

The dryer slows to a stop, a muted dinging indicating that its cycle is done. Kirumi opens it, grimacing as a trickle of hot air seeps from the machine, mixing with the sticky humidity of the morning. Nonetheless, Kirumi grabs armful after armful of clothes and deposits them into the awaiting basket beneath her. Once done, she moves to the folding table where the rest of her laundry sits.

Folding isn't really a strenuous activity for her, but in this heat she can feel beads of sweat dripping down her sides beneath her flowy black shirt. Her white jeans stick to her legs. She'll need quite a few showers when she gets home, that's for sure.

As Kirumi folds, she notices a strike of blonde out of the corner of her eye. Soon after, a rather bubbly-looking Kaede skips next to her, beaming, magnificent.

"I'm back!" she trills.

Kirumi doesn't respond, instead opting to keep folding and raise her eyebrow. She hums, stern, unimpressed.

"Hey, what's with the cold shoulder?" Kaede says, taking another step closer. They're almost touching.

"I thought you said a few minutes," Kirumi replies. She tries to pass it off playfully, but there is a slight twinge of annoyance in her voice.

Kaede has the decency to look embarrassed, but Kirumi's long been able to tell when the pianist is just faking. "Hehe, sorry about that. I went to deposit our checks, but then I decided that it was so hot that I wanted to get us some iced coffee and the line was _so_ long."

"Mmmhmm." Kirumi finishes with the laundry, then hefts one basket so it's on top of the other two. "Take one side, please."

"You're not really mad at me, are you?" Kaede asks as she grabs the bottom basket. They two women heave the baskets up as they make their way back to their car.

Once loaded up, Kirumi takes her place in the driver's seat. Kaede drives like a maniac, so there's no way _she's_ driving if Kirumi can help it. There's a bit of dust on top of the dashboard.

"Hey, 'Rumi," Kaede says. She holds up a plastic cup of dark coffee. "Just how you like it, one sugar, no cream, just a bit of ice."

"Thank you, Kaede." The "iced coffee" is really more like "room temperature coffee" at this point, but anything is better than the heat outside. Kirumi turns on the car and lets the cool air blast.

The two sit in the car for a minute, not speaking, letting the cold wash over them. Kaede sips from her coffee with so much gusto that it's practically half empty in two gulps. Well, Kirumi uses the term "coffee" lightly. There looks to be so many different types of syrups and whipped toppings that Kaede might as well be drinking a cup of liquid sugar.

"That looks so… indulgent," Kirumi says.

"Huh? Oh, my coffee." Kaede grins. "I figured since I've been so busy this week with lessons that I deserved a treat!"

"I do not believe that is healthy for you."

Pouting a bit, Kaede groans. "Come on, let me have something fun." She offers the straw to Kirumi. "Here, try some, maybe you'll like it."

"You know I am not an avid fan of sweet things."

"Just try iiiiiit!"

Kirumi sighs. "Very well, give it here."

Kaede leans over the console and puts the drink in front of Kirumi's face. However, as she does so, Kirumi, in one smooth motion, catches Kaede's chin and presses their lips together. Her lips are cold but as soft as ever.

Kaede chirps in surprise before melting into the kiss, then grabs Kirumi's hand, stroking her thumb.

When they separate, Kirumi has a wry smile on her face. "Hmm, I am surprised. I enjoyed your little treat more than I thought I would. I hope you enjoyed mine." She practically purrs the last few words.

"You're the worst, you know that?" Kaede says, swatting Kirumi's arm gently. "I thought you were actually mad at me for being so late!"

"If your lack of punctuality bothered me that much, I doubt we would be here right now." Kirumi chuckles and takes the wheel. "Where do we need to go next? The music store, yes?"

"Yep, gotta pick up some new sheet music that just came in!" Kaede says.

"What pieces?"

Kaede smirks. "Just a little something called you should kiss me a couple more times before we go."

"I think I will enjoy this piece."

 

-

 

The drive to the music store is peaceful. There's not much traffic and Kirumi and Kaede make simple conversation over the gentle piano music coming from the speakers. It's days like this that Kirumi cherishes the most. These simple days where she isn't at the beck and call of others. She loves her job, to be sure, but the satisfaction it provides is fleeting, especially compared to being with Kaede.

At a stop light, Kirumi double checks her phone to ensure that there's no requests for her to fulfill. When she looks up, Kaede pouts at her.

"Don't text and drive, missy!" she chides.

"I hardly opened the home screen."

Kaede rolls her eyes. "Sure you didn't."

Chuckling to herself, Kirumi shakes her head as she pulls into the parking lot in front of the shopping center that houses the store.

Both women leave the car and approach the storefront, only to stop at a rather amusing sight. Next to the music store is a chain grocery. In front of that grocery is Ryoma surrounded, and being used as a perch, by at least ten or so cats.

"Hoshi!" Kaede calls out, spooking a few of the cats.

Ryoma gives a lazy wave before turning back to the cat on his lap. Kirumi knew that he volunteered for the local animal shelter, but she hadn't known what his role was.

"Good morning, Hoshi," Kirumi says.

"Hey, you two," Ryoma says back, still rubbing the cat. Perhaps he is trying to calm it. "What're you two doing here?"

Kaede claps her hands together. "We're just getting some chores done." She scoops up Kirumi's arm. "It's been forever since we both had a day off."

Ryoma looks up, regards the girls with an odd look that Kirumi can't quite place. "That so, huh?"

"And what are you doing?" Kirumi asks.

"Helping adopt some cats out. Older ones. The kittens always get snatched up right away."

"Do you require any assistance?" Kirumi asks the question so automatically she hardly notices she'd said anything.

"Hey, 'Rumi!" Kaede whines, stepping between Ryoma's stand. "I thought today was just gonna be an us getting stuff done type day!"

Kirumi smiles lightly. "You hardly require my presence to pick up sheet music. Unless, of course, you have something else planned."

Kaede deflates. "No, just…

"If it's gonna be a bother," Ryoma chimes in, "I'm pretty much set here."

"Oh?" Kirumi moves the flimsy table towards her, revealing an intricate looking brace over Ryoma's leg. "Are you sure about that?"

"What happened?!" Kaede yelps.

Looking away, Ryoma scratches his ear before responding. "I was playing a couple rounds of tennis, and I managed to fall just right. Twisted so many muscles doctors are surprised I can still walk."

"I repeat," Kirumi says, "Do you need any assistance." Before Ryoma can say no, she notices his eyes flick to the stack of crates that still need to be set up. "Consider it done." She turns to Kaede. "This will not take long. I will join you as soon as I can."

With that, Kirumi sets to work as Kaede wordlessly enters the music store. True to her word, it doesn't take Kirumi much more than a few minutes to set the cages up and move some of the cats that were sharing into their own spaces. Food and water and some toys in each cage and she's done.

"Thanks, but you really shouldn't have," Ryoma says, still stroking one of the cats.

"It was no trouble," Kirumi says.

"Hmph, maybe not for you." He fixes her with an enigmatic look.

Before she can ask him what he means by that, Kirumi spots the door to the music store opening. Kaede steps out, arms full of folders. Rushing over, Kirumi manages to snatch one right before it falls.

"Oh, good catch!" Kaede says. Whatever moodiness from earlier seems to have disappeared. Makes sense, Kaede always gets excited when she has new music to play. The two make their way to the car, saying goodbye to Ryoma on their way.

Once the music is settled nicely in a small cardboard box, Kirumi checks her phone once again. Nothing new.

"Oh my gosh, you youngin's, always glued to your phones!" Kaede chides.

"I'm simply checking no one has any tasks for me."

"On your day off?"

Kirumi sighs. "You know how it is with the Togami Corporation. There are no true 'days off'."

Slumping down in the passenger seat, Kaede says, "Yeah, I know. Still, it'd be nice to go one day without you having to rush off to work."

"That it would."

-

 

Though the drive to their next destination is just as quiet as before, Kirumi can't notice the slight tension in the car. Kaede spends most of the drive staring out the window or leafing through a complicated-looking piece of music. Normally such activity would be punctuated with comments of some sort, such as gushing how she saw a the cutest puppy or an exclamation of excitement at a particularly challenging part of the music.

Instead, she seems a bit solemn, almost aloof. Kirumi sets a mental note to ask her about everything once they get home.

For now, she pulls into the parking lot of an American-style diner. The chrome exterior glimmers in the late morning sun. Plumes of greasy white smoke expel from the top vents, lending the air a savory, if not quite pleasant scent. Why Miu picked here to meet for lunch is beyond Kirumi.

When Kirumi and Kaede head into the diner, they immediately spot Miu in a corner booth. She appears to be connecting straws together using strips of napkin as a distressed employee holds his head in his hands while watching her.

Not waiting for the hostess, the two make their way over to where Miu is sitting. The inventor doesn't even look up from what she's doing.

"Hello, welcome to Barnaby's Diner, the most authentic American food experience this side of the Pacific," says the exasperated employee. Well, he certainly has the American attitude down pat.

"We still need a bit to look over the menu," Kaede responds as cheerily as she can, though Kirumi can see the strain in her smile.

"Of cour-"

"Where's my fucking milkshake, Apron Boy?" Miu says, looking up from her straw catastrophe.

"Ma'am, I told you, combining every flavor is going to take a while."

"Well you got 'til these two flat-chested bimbos order to get it to me!"

"Or else… What exactly?" the boy asks, clearly fed up with Miu.

"Eh-h?! I-I'll call y-your manager… or something," Miu says, shrinking.

The waiter sighs heavily, so Kirumi offers him a sympathetic smile. He takes Kirumi and Kaede's drink orders before making his escape.

Miu squishes her face and sticks her tongue out at the man's back. "Go shove that apron up your ass," she mumbles.

"Do you always have to make a scene everywhere you go?" Kaede says.

"Hmph, not my fault the world can't handle my genius!" She holds up the straw/napkin contraption. "Look! They said they didn't have any fucking bendy straws, but, lo and fucking behold! Make your own bendy straw! Perfect for sippin' milkshakes and hitting those spots _just_ right."

The straw collapses, scattering bits of plastic and napkin everywhere.

Miu shrugs. "Work in progress."

Once they manage to distract Miu from her self-aggrandizing, Kirumi and Kaede direct Miu's attention to what they had called her here to talk about.

"So, Iruma, you say that you are able to install a new air conditioning unit, yes?" Kirumi says.

"Damn right, should be fucking cake."

Kaede sighs in relief. "Thank goodness. This past week has been awful!"

Miu smirks. "Oh I'm sure you two had to go _all_ around the house half-naked just to deal with it." A trail of drool falls from the corner of her mouth.

"Please, Iruma, do not fantasize at the table."

"Especially not about us!"

"Ugh, fine, you're no fun," Miu pouts. "Look, I get it done today, but it's gonna be later. Gotta pick it up from Souda's place. Lives all the way on the edge of town."

"That's fine!" Kaede chirps. "Kirumi and I are off allllll-"

Her words get cut off by the tell-tale ringing of Kirumi's phone. "Excuse me," Kirumi says, taking her phone from her purse. She glances at the screen, though it's more of a formality than anything. She specifically set her most professional ringtone to that of the direct line to Byakuya Togami. Despite officially being employed by the Togami Corporation as a whole, everyone understands that Kirumi is the personal maid to Byakuya himself. He had accepted no less than the best, and Kirumi, if she'll allow herself to boast, the best in the business.

"Pardon me, I must take this."

"Whatever floats your goat, sugartits," Miu says.

Kaede doesn't say anything, instead opting to sigh and gaze out the window. Back to her moodiness, Kirumi sees. She'll address it later.

Making her way to the parking lot, Kirumi answers with a pleasant, "Hello, Master Togami."

"No time for pleasantries, Miss Tojo. I need you here at four o'clock sharp today." Byakuya's words are quick and sharp.

"On such short notice? Did something happen?" She's not normally one to question her orders - after all, it's not a maid's place - but the suddenness of the request disarmed her.

"Hmph, that fool Imposter made a series of deals without my knowledge, so now I must deal with the aftermath. It will be a long night and I need to be at peak form throughout. You will assist with that. Is that a satisfactory explanation?"

"Yes, sir, forgive my intrusion."

"Forget it happened, just be here at four and be ready to stay late."

With that, Byakuya cuts the conversation, leaving Kirumi standing outside in silence. She purses her lips. Kaede won't be happy about this. She'd been looking forward to today since they both had an entire day off. Once they had finished their errands, they had been planning to have a quiet night with just each other. How long has it been since they've had one of those? Two months? Three? Kirumi can barely remember.

Unfortunately, Kirumi's work keeps her busy. Though she'd like to deny the request, it is not proper for a maid to do so, and Kaede understood that upon entering a relationship with Kirumi. Besides, Kirumi will get extra pay for this, which will go directly to their savings and help get them out of that rather substandard apartment.

Returning to the restaurant, Kirumi notices that the waiter has dropped off Kaede and Kirumi's waters, as well as Miu's monstrosity of a milkshake. The inventor has taken to trying to recreate her bendy straw with Kaede watching in bemused fascination.

"My apologies," Kirumi says as she returns to her seat. "The Togami Corporation called."

"Put the virgins on hold!" Miu shouts far, far too loud for the establishment.

"Somehow I do not think it would be good for my career were I to tell them that."

"Tch, whatever. They deserve it anyway."

Kaede touches Kirumi's arm. "I ordered for you, sweetheart. The grilled chicken salad, honey mustard on the side, just like you like."

Kirumi covers Kaede's hand with hers and smiles warmly. "Thank you, my dear. You are quite considerate."

"Yeah, I guess I am."

Though something in Kaede's tone sets Kirumi on edge, she shakes it off, deciding to get the unpleasant news out of the way. "Kaede, I'm sorry to say, but I was personally requested by Byakuya Togami to come into work tonight."

"What?!" Kaede jerks her hand back. "I thought you had today off!"

"I did, but there was a sudden development and they require my assistance," Kirumi placates.

Turning to face the table, Kaede pulls at the hem of her shorts. "Couldn't you have said no? That you had plans?"

Kirumi sighs. "You know that when I am requested, especially by Master Togami himself, that I cannot refuse. It is part of my contract."

"Well yeah, but…" Kaede trails off, folds her hands in her lap. "Fine… whatever."

Kirumi tries to put her hand on Kaede's shoulder, but the pianist shrugs it off. Very well. If she wishes to make a big deal out of this, then so be it. This is not the first time something like this has happened, nor does Kirumi anticipate it being the last. She'd made it very clear to Kaede when they started dating that this is always a possibility.

The rest of the meal is passed in a heavy silence. Even Miu can hardly come up with anything to say, aside from arguing with the waiter at every chance she gets. Kaede barely picks at her burger and doesn't even bother to ask for it to go, just apologizing for wasting food. Kirumi manages to finish her meal, but the honey mustard tastes oddly sour, as if it had been left out just a bit too long.

The three pay for their meal and leave, with Kaede heading straight to the car to shuffle through her music. Kirumi wrings her hands together. As Miu heads to her car, she passes by Kirumi and shakes her head. "You done fucked up, sugartits."

 

-

 

The rest of the afternoon passed far too slowly for Kirumi's liking. As soon as she and Kaede returned to their apartment, Kaede shut herself away in her piano room. The apartment is technically a two-bedroom, but they use the extra room for Kaede's instruments and as a quiet space for her to practice or host at-home lessons in.

For her part, Kirumi sets about tidying up the apartment. She puts the folded laundry back in its proper place, scrubs down the kitchen that was still dirty from breakfast that morning, and sweeps off the balcony. All in all, not strenuous work, but still there was a hovering sense of dread accompanying each task. It felt like every time she moved on to a new task something in her gut pulled her to the locked door.

Maybe it was Kaede's music. Even when she practices, Kaede's playing is divine. Each note held to just the right length, each run or phrase executed with the precision of a master and the passion of a lover. Today, however, her music is rushed, clunky. Her fingers seem to be slipping all around the keys, missing notes or adding them where there are none. Her usual flourish and joy when playing is hampered by the tightness of her muscles. Though Kirumi cannot truly see Kaede, she can imagine Kaede hunched over her piano, back stiff and shoulders hunched.

Though Kirumi knows this situation is a normal occurrence, clearly it is bothering Kaede more than usual. She decides that she'll, at the very least, let Kaede know that they can talk tomorrow once Kirumi is home from work and they've had a good night's rest. Talking now would do little good.

Soon enough, Kirumi has dressed in her maid's uniform and is standing by Kaede's door. She adjusts her glove once before getting ready to knock. Before she's able to, however, Kaede opens the door, jumping slightly at the sight of Kirumi so close.

"My apologies, I did not mean to startle you."

"It's fine," Kaede says. "I'm just getting some water." Her eyes are a bit puffy; surely she hasn't been crying over a situation as commonplace as this?

Following Kaede to the kitchen, Kirumi says, "I know you are upset about tonight, but we can make it up at another time."

"We can, but we won't," Kaede spits, surprising Kirumi.

"I am aware that this situation happens often, but-"

"Every time, Kirumi. Every. Time." Kaede turns full-force towards Kirumi, her hair splaying wildly over her shoulders. "Whenever we make plans, whenever we have some time to be together, you get a call, and you always, _always_ say you can come in. You've never once just said that you're busy or that you have plans or anything. I get it, you're contracted or whatever, but if you're not available, you're not available. No contract can change that."

Kirumi narrows her eyes. "I told you that I am a committed person, Kaede, and that I take my job very seriously."

"And I said I was okay with that as long as you made some time for me, for _us_!"

Kirumi steps forward. Kaede steps back. A sudden pain fills Kirumi's stomach as she does so. "Please understand, this is my job, this is what I love doing. It is my pride as a maid. I cannot ignore the needs of my clients."

"What about the needs of your girlfriend?!" Kaede shouts. She holds her hand to her chest, pointing an accusatory finger at Kirumi. "What about the person you supposedly care about above all else, huh? You know, like what you wrote on the White Day chocolates you gave me? You wrote that! Of course, you had to rush off to some rich guy's business meeting to help cater." Kaede laughs bitterly, a few tears stain her cheeks.

"Where is all of this coming from?" Kirumi says, voice faltering.

"Every time I try to talk to you about it, you get all defensive and go back to your maid persona. It's so damn condescending and I hate it, so I just drop the conversation," Kaede says. She moves to the counter, holds her head in her hands. Her back heaves with a sob. "I was looking forward to today for so long, and you made a promise."

"Kaede, I…" She wants to say something, but what is there to say? She wants to tell Kaede how much she means to her, wants to tell her that she truly values her over any job, but any such words would ring hollow based on her actions. Ouma might even call them lies.

He might even be right. She knows how much she's promised Kaede, and she's all too aware of how often she's failed to live up to those promises. It's almost habit at this point. Mess up, promise, and placate, like clockwork.

Sniffling, Kaede lifts herself from the counter and grabs her glass of water. "That's everything I have to say, so just go to work. I might stay at my sister's tonight, just so you know."

Without another sound, Kaede slinks back to her music room.

The only sound Kirumi makes as she leaves for work is a choked sob deep in her throat.

 

-

 

"Miss Tojo, I require more coffee," Byakuya says as he scans through yet another thick portfolio.

"Yes sir, right away," Kirumi responds, perfunctory and calm. As she moves through the winding halls of the Togami estate, she's the picture of composure, but her insides are an insidious knot that threatens to unravel at a moment's notice and send the contents of her stomach all over her work.

She's sure that Byakuya has noticed her unease. He's surprisingly astute when it comes to efficiency, so he's of course noticed how Kirumi seems to be taking longer to fill requests, and those requests haven't been completed to her high standards. Just a few moments ago, she forgot to bring in a crucial report, resulting in Byakuya almost cancelling a rather lucrative deal. She received a much deserved chiding for that mistake, but nothing could compare to the lashing Kaede had dealt her.

Kirumi has long prided herself on her ability to leave her personal issues at home. When her father passed, she hardly shed a tear until she was sure she was off-duty for the night. After Kaito ended up in the hospital and Kirumi had spent hours comforting Maki, she showed for her morning shift without a single stray hair or bag under her eye. Even when she and Kaede had first moved in together, she managed to drag herself from the clutter to make it to work on time, presentable, and proper. But today, she just can't do that.

When there's silence, she hears Kaede's voice, shrill and hurt.

A blonde member of the staff reminds Kirumi of the way Kaede's hair bobs when she's happy. She'd seen that bob this morning. How long would it be before she sees it again?

"Miss Tojo!" cries an intern as he passes by the kitchen.

She blinks in surprise as coffee spills from the lip of the cup and over the ledge of the counter, pooling at her feet.

"Are you alright?" the intern says, grabbing several towels from the rack nearby.

"Yes, I am fine. My gloves prevented any serious burns."

"I mean…" the intern says, "You've been really spacey all evening. You sure you don't need to go home?"

Kirumi casts a deathly glare at the young man. "I take great pride in my service, I will not have that pride, nor my record, marked by absence. Now, please, return to your duties so I may attend to mine."

The intern gives her one last sympathetic look before scurrying out of the room.

Kirumi lets out the breath she'd been holding. Despite her harsh tone, she'd felt ready to burst into tears just then.

God, she's a mess isn't she?

Ignoring the pressure in her cheeks, she cleans the spilled coffee, making another batch just to be sure. It's a waste, but her pride as a maid won't let her provide Master Togami with anything but the best.

When she enters Byakuya's office, he's leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, arms crossed, glasses low on the edge of his nose. Wonderful, has her tardiness caused him to fall asleep?

However, her worries are soon quelled. "There you are, Miss Tojo, give me my coffee, now. I must get back to work."

"Yes, sir."

Once she hands off the cup, Byakuya takes a few quick sips.

"Do you have any other requests of me, sir?"

Byakuya's face twists into a small scowl. He sets the coffee onto a platter then turns his entire chair to face Kirumi. "Do you know why I have you make my coffee instead of one of my chefs?"

"No, sir," Kirumi says. She does.

"It's because you are one of the few who can brew kopi luwak coffee in such a manner to give it the full-bodied richness it deserves without sacrificing its taste." His glasses seem to flash in the low light. "And this, what _you_ have served me." He lifts the cup, drops it whole into the trash can.

Kirumi flinches at the sound of shattering glass.

"Is hardly worthy of being called trash," Byakuya finishes.

Bowing at the waist, Kirumi's body makes a near ninety degree angle. "I deeply apologize for my poor performance, Master Togami. Would you care for me to repeat this task. I shall not fail."

Byakuya hums for a moment, putting his fist to his chin. "No," he says. "I wish for you to retire for the night."

"E-excuse me?!" Kirumi cries, jerking upright. At Byakuya's pointed glare, she adds, "Sir."

"Yes, you are correct to say your performance has been inadequate this evening. Normally such incompetence would be rewarded with an immediate relieve of duties." He stands to his full height, glowering down at Kirumi.

Suddenly, however, his expression softens just a hint. "Fortunately for you, your record to this point is… immaculate. I shall overlook this evening's happenings if I can be assured that, should you leave, you will be back to yourself by tomorrow morning."

"Morning, sir?"

"Yes, morning. I understand that you usually do not work then, but you can consider it proper recompense for tonight."

He sits back down, turning to his desk. "Now leave," he orders. "I have work to do."

Kirumi wants to protest, to assure Byakuya that there will be no more mistakes or mishaps, but the words die in her throat. "Yes, Master Togami," she says.

Her walk out is punctuated by stares of awe as she gathers her coat and purse to leave early for the first time in her career. Though she keeps her head high, avoiding eye contact of others, ignoring the mouthed "good luck" from the intern in the cafeteria, Kirumi has never been more humiliated.

 

-

 

Kirumi takes her time walking back. Rather, her feet seem to drag with reluctance as she makes her way back to her likely empty apartment. Kaede said that she'd likely be at her sister's house tonight. Going back to a vacant bed is something that Kirumi is not looking forward to.

A street light flickers. How long has it been since someone even tried to fix the wiring? Probably too long.

The smell of a local Korean barbeque joint pricks her nose. She's never cared for meat-heavy dishes, though Kaede loves them. Kirumi had planned to take Kaede there for her birthday this year.

She went to work instead.

Taking her phone from her purse, Kirumi winces at the bright light. No new messages. Normally, Kaede texts her whenever she leaves, saying that she got there safely. Even while Kirumi is at work, Kaede never fails to think of her.

She sighs, trying to think of ways she can rectify this situation.

Firstly, she needs to apologize. Then again, she always apologizes; sometimes she even means it, too. Maybe she can make it up to Kaede with a gift. There's an orchestra coming to town in a few weeks, and she knows several members of the Togami Corporation who have connections to it. She can probably procure tickets at a discounted price through them. But Kaede would want to go with Kirumi (wouldn't she?) and Kirumi would likely have work, so that idea is moot.

As Kirumi turns another corner, she just misses barreling into a young woman.

"Kyah!" the woman shrieks. "Back off, assaulter, or Tenko will show you the true meaning of- Oh, hi Tojo!"

It takes a few blinks for Kirumi to realize it's Tenko she nearly barged into. She looks different than her usual martial arts or workout gear. Tonight she's wearing a loose button-up shirt and her hair is tied in one long braid. It's about as dressed up as Kirumi's ever seen her.

"Excuse me, Chabashira," Kirumi says, bowing. "I did not mean to run into you."

Tenko smiles. "Don't worry about it! You're not some degenerate male, so I don't really mind!"

Though she's really not in the mood to, Kirumi decides it'd be at least polite to make a bit of conversation. "Why are you out so late this evening?"

"Tenko was walking Himiko and" - she grumbles a bit as she says this - "Amami home, so they'd be safe. They had quite a bit to drink."

The thought of Himiko stumbling home is a bit of an amusing one. "I take it you did not indulge?"

"Nope! Tenko needs to always be aware in case any girl needs help!" She drops low into a fighting stance. "There are many dangers between their homes and your apartment!"

"My apartment?!" Kirumi says, not hiding her surprise.

Tenko clams up. "W-well y-y-yeah! Akamatsu invited a bunch of us for drinks and games." She looks at the ground. "We all thought you knew."

"I… see…" Kirumi says, twining her hands across her stomach. So she did not go to her sister's after all. "That's good."

"Huh?"

"Kaede and I had a fight today," Kirumi confesses. "It's good to see her not dwelling on it as I am."

Tenko sighs, grabs Kirumi's shoulder. "I… I know. Akamatsu sometimes rants to me."

That statement sends a pang reverberating through Kirumi's stomach.

"It has been building for a while, this fight?"

Tenko nods.

"I am a fool…"

"Hey, don't beat yourself up, that won't fix anything!" Tenko says, some enthusiasm returning to her voice.

"I…" Kirumi grasps. "I am unsure of how to fix this. When I make mistakes at work, I have no trouble with rectifying them. However, now I am unable to do so." She closes her eyes, using her entire will to stop tears from falling and keep her lip from quivering. "Perhaps," she says, her voice shaky, "Perhaps it would be better for Kaede if we broke up."

Tenko doesn't say anything for a long while, simply staring at Kirumi. Her hand never leaves her shoulder, as if it's holding her there, preventing Kirumi from running, from escaping.

"Would you like to know what Tenko thinks?"

Kirumi opens her eyes. Tenko's smile is warm, gentle, inviting.

"Tenko thinks you're afraid."

That gives Kirumi pause. "Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of your feelings for Kaede."

"Chabashira, we have been dating for almost two ye-"

Tenko holds up her hand. "Let me finish. Before you met Akamatsu, you were always super invested in your work, but then she came and suddenly you couldn't be as invested. You quit that job and got the one with the Togami place around then, right?"

"That is correct," Kirumi says, "I was unable to return to my high standards."

"Exactly!" Tenko cries, jumping slightly. "You're scared that being with Akamatsu affects your work too much, so anything something happens that could hurt you or cause a bump in your relationship, you run back to work to hide away!"

Kirumi's insides coil, she clenches her fist. It's true, whenever Kaede had tried to work through an issue with Kirumi, she'd just run off back to work and ignored the issue at hand. Her pride as a maid demands it.

"Tojo, look at me."

Kirumi meets Tenko's eyes.

"You don't need to be afraid of her. You don't need to be afraid of not being there to help everyone, especially if it means being with the person you love."

"Chabashira… my job…"

"Does your job make you happy?"

The question catches Kirumi off-guard. "I am quite satisfied with my employment, yes."

"That wasn't Tenko's question. Does your job make you _happy_?"

Before Kirumi can say that it does, she pauses. Sure, she finds fulfillment in assisting Byakuya with attaining his potential, and people thanking her for her work fills her with pride, but… can she really say that she's happy?

When she thinks of the word "happy," she sees Kaede's hair billowing in the wind when they went on a picnic for their first date. The wind was monstrous, so they had spent most of their time chasing plates and finding big enough rocks to hold everything down.

She thinks of the night that they were curled up on Kaede's sister's couch. Kaede had her head on Kirumi's shoulder, watching a horror movie. At a particularly gruesome kill, the two had turned to look at each other in disbelief. Kaede's breath smelled like garlic; there had been a pimple next to her eyebrow. She'd never looked more beautiful. Her lips were cold, but soft.

She thinks of the time when she couldn't sleep, so Kaede sang to her for over an hour. No matter how much Kirumi told her to knock it off and get some sleep, Kaede kept singing until at last Kirumi had fallen asleep wrapped in Kaede's arms.

Her job may make her content, but Kaede makes her happy.

She thinks of when she told Kaede she loved her. Kaede had been shocked that Kirumi was the first to say it. Even Kirumi was surprised that she couldn't hold it in anymore.

She needs to say it again.

"Chabashira…" Kirumi whispers. "Thank you. I have an idea of what to do now."

Tenko beams, pumping her fist in the air. "Yes! Go get her, Tojo!" she shouts. Upon realizing that it is rather late, she blushes in the low light and says, "Or, go get her in the morning!"

Kirumi tries to bow, but Tenko scoops her into a hug as a goodbye. With one final confident look, Tenko continues walking home.

Rather than heading to her own apartment, however, Kirumi turns back the way she came, heading towards Togami Headquarters.

 

-

 

Kirumi opens the bedroom door as delicately as she can. Navigating the dark room is made easy by the stream of light filtering in through the blinds. While initially unsure of living in a bedroom right next to a street light, Kirumi finds the wandering wisps of dust fascinating to watch above her head on sleepless nights.

She pads to her closet, stripping until she can pull on her nightclothes. She's a master at changing silently. Years of experience have taught her how to avoid the usual pitfalls of clothing rustling or the dull thuds of clothes falling to the floor.

When she makes it over to bed, Kaede is curled up under the covers. A half-empty wine glass sits on her nightstand between a Mozart bobblehead and an alarm clock. How typical. She always tries to drink more than she can handle. Kirumi wonders just how much wine has gone down the drain.

Leaning over, Kirumi gently presses her lips to Kaede's forehead. She's warm, pleasantly so despite the heat of the day. "I am home, "Kirumi whispers. Kaede's a heavy sleeper on a bad day, so Kirumi isn't too concerned about waking her. If Kaede is willing to text Kirumi, the least she can do is return the favor.

As she settles into bed, fluffing her pillow and straightening her sheets, Kirumi runs over what she wants to say in her head one final time. She sucks in a deliberate breath. She'll say this once tonight, for confidence, then once in the morning to Kaede.

"Kaede, I…" Her words almost immediately choke in her lungs.

She tries again. Again. Until she manages.

"Kaede, I love you. I love you and value you more than all else in this world. That includes my pride as a maid, my clients, my career. I have not been a proper significant other to you. I let my own anxieties rule me and you have suffered for it."

Another breath

"But that changes tonight. I refuse to allow you to feel unloved, to feel uncared for. This is my resolution. You are my focus, you are the love of my life. To the best of my ability, I will ensure that you are treated as such. I may not always succeed. Indeed, I will inevitably struggle, but that will not stop my improvement. Though I spend much time helping others to improve, it is time I do the same for myself."

Her voice cracks.

"Kaede, I love you. More than you could ever know."

It sounds… alright. It's not perfect, not by a long shot, but it's the best she can do right now, and if she doesn't go with it, she'll rework it and rework it until Kaede is gone from her life.

She leans over to kiss Kaede once again.

However, before she can- "Thanks for letting me know you're home," Kaede says.

Kirumi sits up, allowing Kaede to turn and face her. Her lavender eyes are hard, but seem to glow with ephemeral light.

"I was not aware you were awake," Kirumi says, blushing. "Forgive me if I woke you."

"Couldn't sleep." Kaede says. She lifts her head and tucks it into Kirumi's hip. "Did you mean what you said just now? Like, really mean it?"

"I did," Kirumi says, lightly stroking Kaede's hair, then down her shoulder. "Everyone word."

A pause. "I don't know if I believe you."

If there had been a dam behind Kirumi's eyes, those words burst it. Tears flood Kirumi's cheeks, face flushed and hot, chest heaving.

Kaede puts her hand on Kirumi's thigh, but otherwise does nothing.

They remain in that position for a while, the sound of Kirumi crying being the only noise in the room.

How uncouth, how humiliating to cry like this. She'd never cried in front of Kaede, never done it front of anybody, really. She'd always found a quiet place to isolate herself. After all, she's a maid, and maids provide support to others, never requiring it themselves. But Kaede's harsh, true words strike Kirumi straight through with their validity. The pianist already has trust issues, Kirumi knows, and she has done little to assuage them.

Eventually, Kirumi manages to calm herself enough so that her crying is limited to a few sobs.

Kaede looks up at her. "Do you feel better?" Her voice is soft, concerned, without a hint of malice or mockery.

"I do," Kirumi answers honestly. Truly, she feels lighter than she had before, as if a great pressure had disappeared from her chest.

"Then let's start to work through this," Kaede says, sitting up. As she does so, she grabs her head, wobbling a bit. "Oh crap, too much to drink.

Taking Kaede by the shoulders, Kirumi positions herself behind the pianist, then guides her down so that Kaede's head rests on the front of her shoulder, then begins to lightly rub her head.

"Thanks," Kaede says. "Amami is such an enabler."

"Hmmm."

Kaede tucks a pillow across her stomach. Kirumi feels her weight as she lets herself relax in the embrace. She's always enjoyed that weight, a comforting pressure that makes Kirumi feel grounded, needed.

"So," Kaede says, her voice growing somber, "You said your piece. Here's mine. You've said that a lot. That you'll change and everything will be better." She shrinks. "But you rarely do. It's always the same excuses. No matter how much you promise."

There's a part of Kirumi that wants to dismiss what Kaede's saying, a part of her that wants to decry it as nothing but Kaede being clingy or unnecessarily needy. Kirumi's job is important to her; how dare Kaede wield it like a weapon.

But then Tenko's voice enters her head. Reminds her not to run away, not to hide behind her work. She's allowed to feel scared, defensive, loved, in love, remorseful, hopeful, all simultaneous, all individual.

"I understand," Kirumi says. She can practically feel Kaede sigh as she anticipates another round of placating platitudes. "My job keeps me intensely busy to the point that I cannot keep my promises."

"Yeah, uh-huh."

"Which is why I quit."

"You what?!" Kaede cries, jerking her head up into Kirumi's chin.

"Ow! Careful, careful!" Kirumi says, massaging her chin.

Flustered, Kaede mutters out a quick apology but is right back on the attack. "You _quit_ ? _You_ quit being a maid for the _Togami Corporation_?!"

Kirumi nods.

"Shit…" Kaede whispers. "Are you crazy? Aren't they, like, really against people who quit? I've heard they ruin people's futures over it, that they can't get a job ever again, their bank accounts are suddenly emptied and… and…" She takes a breath, squeezes the pillow close. "I didn't want you to quit doing what you love."

"Worry not. Though Togami was quite put out, he could not find legal recourse against me. Nor did he intend to. In fact, he offered me quite a sum to remain. However, what he would not budge on was that my availability must be to his whims." Kirumi wraps her arms around Kaede, kisses the top of her head. A couple tears fall from the corners of her eyes. "But that would keep me from you. It would enable my own vices. So I chose to leave his service." She brushes some hairs from Kaede's face. "If you are concerned for me, I would not worry. As a parting gift, Togami said that he would be a personal reference to any future potential employer."

"Kirumi… You didn't have to… I…" Kaede sits up and faces Kirumi, her expression unreadable. "This isn't an excuse is it?"

"Pardon?"

"This isn't just a cop-out, right? You're not gonna go back to your old habits once you get a new job, right?"

Kirumi's first response is that she will not go back to her habits. But, if she is truly looking inward, can she say that? "I will work to avoid them, Kaede. I promise."

Kaede fidgets in her spot for a second before lunging at Kirumi. Their lips meet and it's as if Kirumi is feeling them again for the first time, cold and soft and wondrous as ever. She feels Kaede Akamatsu, the woman she loves, the woman she will make any sacrifice for, all other requests be damned.

They separate. "I love you," Kirumi breathes.

"I love you, too, 'Rumi," Kaede says back. Her eyes drop and she purses her lips. "You promise, right? You promise things will change?"

"As I have said, I will promise you I will work to the best of my ability. It would be disingenuous of me to deny the possibility of failure," Kirumi says.

Kaede smiles. For the first time that night, Kaede smiles. "Good, if you promised anything else, I wouldn't believe you." She shuffles close to Kirumi, kisses her once, twice, innumerable times. "Now let's go to sleep, babe. I'm drunk, you're tired, and this has been a hell of a day."

"Yes, we can discuss this more in the morning."

"After breakfast, right?"

"Naturally."

It felt good to say that. It felt good that she could make Kaede breakfast in the morning instead of rushing to whatever meeting or event Byakuya had planned.

The two reorient themselves into a reasonably sleep-able position. Kaede had tried to curl up on Kirumi's side, but a quick film of sweat discouraged her from doing so.

As they settled, Kirumi couldn't help but think it was odd. As a maid, she accepts nothing less than perfection. Each request filled above and beyond expectations, all without complaint or question. To deny a request within her power, or to even lack confidence in her ability to complete it would bring nothing but shame on Kirumi.

But Kaede. Kaede seemed overjoyed at the prospect of Kirumi failing. No, that's not it. That Kirumi could acknowledge she could fail. It's a foreign confession, but not an unwelcome one.

Then again, as Kirumi well knows, it's easy enough to say one thing, but what might happen if Kirumi does slip up? Would Kaede finally get fed up with it all, storm out in a hurry and for the last time?

"Hey, 'Rumi," Kaede says, her words heavy with exhaustion.

"Hmm?"

"I know you're worried about if you can't always live up to your promise. But it's okay. I'll still be here. I'll help if you need. Just ask, okay?"

"Okay."

Despite her words, Kirumi can still feel her chest rise and fall, bloated with anxiety.

As if sensing her nerves, Kaede leans over Kirumi, cups her face, kisses her nose. "We're going to be fine, 'Rumi." Kisses her again, this time their lips meeting.

"We're going to be fine."

Her lips are cold and soft as ever.

"I love you."

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: Like just about all of my fics, this started out as a happy little fluff piece. But because I seem to have an obsession with refusing to allow characters to be happy for any extended period of time, it's now this! Hooray!
> 
> I've always felt that Kirumi was in an interesting position, because she's always portrayed as helping others, but rarely focusing on herself. Also, the way she feels towards her job would definitely affect any personal relationships she had. So I guess the goal of this fic was to explore that idea.
> 
> Anywho, hope you all enjoyed. As always, comments and criticism are always appreciated!


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